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Kunta Kinte (Toby Waller)
� Kunta Kinte was a Mandinka warrior from the African village of Juffere. His parents were Omoro Kinte and Binta Kinte. Kunta is the central character of the miniseries. He married Belle Waller and had a daughter with her. He named her Kizzy, which means "stay put" in African. So began a long line of ancestors that would eventually rise to freedom. Early life Kunta was born in Gambia, West Africa, in 1750. Even as a young man, Kunta was brave, driving off a leopard with his slingshot in one scene. When he reached fifteen rains (Mandinkan years), Kunta was enlisted in manhood training, a series of tests that would ensure that by the time he left, he would be a man. Kunta goes to the woods to another Mandinkan city. He's eventually caught by the Koros, the Kinte's family rivals. He and his uncle and his cousins are captured and sold to the English. Arriving in North America,Marriage and tragedy and death. Despite an attempted mutiny, Kunta is captured with his African friends. He sees Jinna, his African crush die after the captain stabs her for trying to escape one more time. Kunta is bought by John Waller, a planter. While Kunta is gettting to the Waller Plantation, he sees a Wolof, Mandinka allies. He recognizes his face and the Wolof tells him that "this is Virginia talk, not African talk pretty man." Kunta attempts to escape but the overseer captures him. John Waller's wife renames him, "Toby". Fiddler takes care of him and Kunta says his name is "Kunta Kinte." He is whipped by the master after trying to escape and whips him til he says Toby. He finally says Toby and Fiddler says to keep your true name inside no matter what the "toubob" call him. In 1772, Kunta, now 22 years old, fights another slave and Toby wins the fight but is beaten by John Waller, for causing chaos. Toby tries to fight, but John Waller knocks Toby out and spits on him with saying "nigger". Ten years later in 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, Kunta escapes to fight for the British army. Without proper weapons, his regiment is slaughtered. He meets another slave who ran away after the master sold his sisters and mother. They flee from the British and then Toby's friend dies. He is recaptured and the right front half of his foot of is chopped off. He and Henry are sent to the farm of Dr. William Waller in payment for his brother John Waller's debts. One year later the Revolution ends and the United States celebrates its independence. Toby marries Belle, a beautiful slave woman who nursed him back to health, and they have a daughter. Fiddler and Kunta take the baby into the woods for a Mandinka naming ceremony. They are suddenly surrounded by a slave patrol, which Henry distracts so Kunta and the baby can slip away. This results in Henry's murder. Toby names the baby Kizzy, which means "stay put" in hopes of keeping their family together. Toby raises Kizzy like a Mandinka father. She says "father" in his langugage. But she is too busy playing with Missy Anne, Waller's Niece plays with Kizzy. Toby and John Waller get into a fight but William Waller slaps John for trying to mess around with his property. He passes on the Mandinka ways to Kizzy but its pretty difficult. During a hurricane, Kizzy writes a written road pass that she forged. As a result, Kizzy is sold. Belle yells at Toby that Kizzy's name mean stay put. She wants to kill herself now that she lost 3 children. 2 years later, Waller sells Belle which Toby is held at gun point to not save her. Belle is sold in Alabama to a Planter named Frank Harvey IV. Toby sees a Mandinkan and realizes he was on the ship with Kunta (when he was 17.) The African is bought by William Waller and Toby explains how life was. Kunta, now 67 years old, is alone and prays to Allah to bring him home in the Gambia. In 1822, Kunta dies of a broken heart. Kunta was a warrior, he was enslaved and travled across the world and lived to start a new family in America. The Kinte dynasty will be asembled for many years. Kunta will always be a Mandinka Warrior. Category:Failed Escapes, Marriage and a tragedy Category:Mandinka Category:Kinte Family Category:Males